as in to rinse
to pour liquid over or through in order to cleanse if you get the chemical in your eye, irrigate the eye thoroughly with water

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of irrigate The initiative draws water from the L.A. River in downtown L.A., cleans it and uses it to irrigate Los Angeles State Historic Park. Lucy Handley, CNBC, 1 June 2025 Most of that water was used to irrigate fields of alfalfa and vegetables grown in the desert Southwest. Ella Nilsen, CNN Money, 31 May 2025 Farmers can no longer irrigate their crops, and shepherds can no longer reach their pastures. Taylor Luck, Christian Science Monitor, 16 May 2025 However, arsenic is a naturally occurring substance that can contaminate groundwater and food irrigated with tainted water. Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 15 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for irrigate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irrigate
Verb
  • Pattern’s Revitalizing Scalp Scrub helps to unclog pores, moisturizes the scalp, and rinses out easily.
    Kayla Greaves, Essence, 23 June 2025
  • Staff have to chemically strip the mirror's old aluminum coating before rinsing it with demineralized water.
    Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 17 June 2025
Verb
  • Not pressure washing your driveway can lead to structural damage or even safety hazards on top of the inevitable eyesore.
    Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 20 June 2025
  • Choose warm or hot water: While some clothes should always be washed using cold water, higher temperatures are more effective at removing dirt, oil, and sweat.
    Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 June 2025
Verb
  • Elsewhere on the ground floor is the bathroom, which has a shower, sink, and a flushing toilet that can optionally be upgraded to a composting model.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 19 June 2025
  • You will be asked to clean the teeth of a massive, mechanical, sewage-eating shark; a few hours later, Banjo will be transformed into a pumpkin so he can more easily be flushed down a toilet in a haunted house.
    Luke Winkie, Vulture, 18 June 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Irrigate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irrigate. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on irrigate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!